Britain’s Unaffordable Defender of the Realm

British Royal Navy's Astute. A thing of beauty that, like most things of beauty, is difficult to pay for.

This sub very posh and quite brill indeed.

“This is the best submarine in the world. It is virtually undetectable, has reinvented the periscope and sonar, and doubles as a floating GCHQ[.]…

She could prowl the depths of the oceans without stopping for her entire 25-year lifespan, her sleek curves undetected. She generates her own oxygen and fresh water from the surrounding sea, never has to refuel and never needs to break the surface. Indeed, the only reasons for her to come up after 90 days on patrol are to restock with food and to help preserve the sanity of her crew.

Astute is the world’s most technologically advanced submarine, and remains a great British achievement despite overspends and delays. It is the stealthiest Royal Navy submarine ever to go to sea and its highly advanced Sonar 2076 system – capable of detecting the QE2 leaving New York all the way from the English Channel – is superior to the U.S. Navy equivalent. It can carry 38 weapons – heavyweight Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles. The latter have a range of 1,000 nautical miles – enough to reach 96 per cent of the planet’s populated areas from the sea.”